Gift or Curse
by Freedom Phantom
Summary: Life is cheap and death come easy... save for some. My name is Hinata Hyuga of the Hyuga Clan and I am an immortal. THERE CAN BE ONLY ONE!
1. Prologue

Gift or Curse

Prologue

Chapter I: Gift or Curse

By Freedom Phantom

She's an immortal, born in the wake of the Third Great Shinobi World War two thousand years ago. She is not alone. There are others like her, some good, some evil. For centuries she has battled the forces of Darkness, with Holy Ground her only refuge. She cannot die, unless you take her head and with it, her power. In the end there can be only one. She is Hinata Hyuuga, and this, is her story.

-*-

I've chassed this man from one side of the globe to the other for as long as I can remember. From the green sceanery of the Fire Country to the snow steppes of the Snow Country, from the mysterious fog of the Water Country to the arid deserts of the Wind Country. I've seen it all. The world has changed, but not mine. I've met several kind of people during my long life. Some good and some evil.

The shinobi world as it once was known, is long gone now. Wars are now fought with rifles instead of kunais and the like and ninjas are now no more than simple spies. The times of powerful Kages is but a distant memory.

The Leaf Village is now a giant metropolis under the name of Hikyo-to (Fire Capital Metropolis). But as I said earlier, the world changed, but not mine.

This man, I've been chassing him through entire centuries. I've fought him countless of times, but never I've I been able to take his head. I'm tired and sick of this game and it's gonna end today, were it all started.

My name is Hinata Hyuuga of Clan Hyuga and I'm an Immortal. This, is my story.

-*-

It's all begun...

TO BE CONTINUED

Next Chapter: It's Time


	2. It's Time

(This fic is set 3 years after Shippuden. I also took some artistic license with the Naruto world to includes things such as personnal cars ect. And as you'll see, I took some artistic license with the Highlander world as well. It is not a crossover between the Highlander and Naruto series mind you. So if there's any other questions, just ask. Good readin'.) I also drawed a lot of inspiration from the Highlander animated movie: The Search for Vengeance.

Gift or Curse  
Chapter II: It's Time  
By Freedom Phantom

Hinata was leisurely ridding her bicycle around Konoha when a car collided with her. She was hurled down and the car ran over her. For all intend and purpose, she was dead. But that was not yet the end of it. Just before passing out she felt some kind of... kinda buzz in her head.

-*-

She woke up in a dimely lit room. Hinata observed her surrounding. There was a small television set and a old computer in the room. That was about everything, the rest was only clothes and other things spread across the floor. Then she saw that there was a man sitting on a chair watching her.

He was wearing a brown-beige trenchcoat and had short black hair. He also sported a goatee. And even though he was seated she could tell that he was tall.

"Hello kid."

She instincly raised the covers over her upper body.

"Don't worry. I don't wanna hurt ya." He said with an amused smile.

"Who are you? Where am I?" She said with a distrust look.

"You're in my home. So pardon me for the mess but I wasn't expecting anyone." He said with his smile still plastered on his face. "And as to who I am... Well my name's Ryuji Kusakabe, and you are?"

"Hinata Hyuuga, a Konoha kunoichi." She said still distrustful.

"I know about the kunoichi part. Hard to miss that forehead protector around your neck." He said with a little sarcasm. "But isn't a forehead protector supposed to be weared _on _the forehead?" He said amplyfing the _on_.

"We can wear it where we want. It's a matter of choice." Hinata said.

"There's no need for animosity here. Sorry if I offended you, I just stated what I thought." Ryuji said as he respectively bowed his head to her. "You must wonder what actually happened. Well, I'll tell ya. A car ran over you, killing you instantly as you rolled under it." He said as a matter of fact.

"How can I be dead if I'm here. It's doesn't make sense."

"Sure it do. Do you remember feelin' some kinda buzz before passing out. Well it was me that you felt."

"How do you know what I've felt!?" She exclaimed.

"Because I've felt it too. Because the two of us are Immortals." He said with a reasuring smile.

"I don't believe you." She said.

"You don't believe me. I'm hurt. I'm truly am. Well, I'll prove it to you then." He said as he took a knife on the desk next to him.

"You see this knife? I'm going to cut my hand. Watch closely." He began to cut his palm as he said this.

Hinata looked amazed as his palm began to heal itself immidiately after. She looked at him and then said.

"How can I know it's not some kind of jutsu?"

"You sure are persistent. You said you were a Hyuuga. Use your byakugan on me and see for yourself."

She did so and was even more amazed to see that there was no trace of chakra use. That's meant that all he said was the truth then. But how could it be?

"How..how come?"

"It's like that, that's all. We have the seeds of Immortality in us since birth. It's only take a brutal death to awaken it."

"So why not the others?"

"Only some individual have it. Don't ask me why, I don't know." He said.

After a moment of silence.

"Ca...n, can you teach me?" She asked shyly. "Even though I've been unrespectful toward you earlier."

"Don't sweat it kid, it's no bother. I'm at least 5000 years old, I'm used to newborn Immortal not believing me." He said.

Hinata was one more time amazed. She couldn't believe he was that old. He must have seen a lot through his life. If what he said was true, then he would have been born during the neolithic period of the world.

"I'll teach you the basics of what you must know. But first go rest up. Night's a time to sleep." He said as he left the room.

She was about to ask more but he was already out of reach. She layed her back and fell asleep.

-*-

She woke up. There was a good smell in the air. So she got up and followed the smell. Ryuji was in the kitchen, cooking some pancakes.

"Ohayo. Did you sleep well?"

She nodded and sat at the table. Soon enough there was a plate full of pancakes in front of her. As they began to eat Ryuji said.

"I think I can begin to tell you more. At least you should know about the Game."

"The Game? What is that?" She asked between two bites.

"It's hard to explain, it's best resumed as this. That all Immortals wherever and whoever they are shall fight and behead each others until only one remains." He said.

"Do you mean you are going to kill me?" Hinata said as she began to back away from the table.

"Don't jump to conclusions kid. I never said that. When the two last Immortals remaining are you and me, if we don't lose our heads first that is, then we'll see. But it's may well take hundred of thousand of years before it's happen, there's no guess how long it will take." He said.

She sat back and then asked.

"But if it's a game, then there should be a prize at the end, right?"

"Yes, there is. When the time of the Gathering will come, the few of us that will remain will feel an irresistible pull toward a far away land, to fight for the prize. But we don't know what the prize is. Do you understand kid?" He said in all seriousness.

"Yes I understand."

"Good. You should know this too so listen carefully. There are but three important rules you should remember. First off, never, I repeat never fight on holy ground. I tell you, it's greatly unpleasent..." Ryuji said, eyes closed, pinching the bridge of his nose, past memories of his younger years resurfacing.

Hinata looked at him, curious. "What happened?"

"Long story short, never piss of God. You'll thank me later." He said. "Anyways... Second: When you fight another Immortal you have to fight one-on-one, no outside interference are allowed. And three: In the end, there shall only be one. Remember those rules because people will try to get your head from now on. But be carefull about the second rule. Some people won't hesitate to come at you with dirty tricks like coming in greater numbers or using jutsus." He explained.

"You mean I can't use jutsus. Why?" Hinata asked surprised.

"Because of the unfair advantage kid. Most of the Immortals are not trained in the ninja arts. Most of us are common folk, if we can say common. A duel is a fair sword fight between the two Immortals but only one come out of it with his head. There is no exception. That's how the Rules were made."

"I understand."

Ryuji lifted from his chair and motioned Hinata to follow him. He opened a wodden chest and took a purple hilted Katana from it. He handed it to Hinata.

"It's now yours. Take good care of it. Make it part of you. Your life depends of it."

She took it in her hands. She unsheathed it to look at the blade. It was beautiful blade. She turned it around and saw the two kanji composing the word nintai; perseverence. She resheathed it back and bowed to Ryuji.

"Thank you Kusakabe-sempai. Thank you very much. I will." She said, her eyes sparkling in the light as a few tears strolled down her cheeks.

"But I now must leave before people begin to search for me." Hinata said, wipping her tears, as she walk for door.

"Don't mention it. But remember, be careful. Don't tell people that you are an Immortal. If you really have to say it, then be sure it's a worthy person who won't say it to anybody else. The secret must remain a secret. You can also come back if you want. I could appreciate to have a fellow Immortal to spare with me." He said as he waved her goodbye.

"Okay Kusakabe-sempai. I'll come back later." She said as she wave back to him.

-*-

She entered the Hyuuga Estate and walked to her bedroom. She saw Neji on her way. He greeted her but thats all. She continued her way and entered her room. There she found one her obi. She tied it around her waist and slid her nihonto in place. She then decided to go practice outside in the courtyard.

When there she saw that her father was sparring with Neji. It was an all out fight. It quickly ended and they came to her.

"Go make us some tea Hinata." Hiashi asked.

"It's that I came to practice father." She said shyly.

"That's good, do so after you brought us some tea." Hiashi said with a small hint of humor.

"As you wish father." She said reluctantly.

She quickly came back and gave Neji and her father their cup of tea. After they thanked her she walked to the middle of the courtyard and unsheathed her sword. She swung it in various ways, trying to find the more appropriate for defence as well as attacks.

Seeing her training hard, her father decided to join her. He brought his own sword and walked to her.

"Do you mind me joining you Hinata?" He said as he put himself in a battou jutsu stance.

She didn't respond, going into a gatotsu stance instead. Her father quickly drawed. She responded as quickly as her father as she countered his attack. Hiashi quickly brought back his blade in a defensive posing, blocking his daughter from hitting him.

She back away as her father unleashed a flurry of attacks against her. She activated her byakugan in an attempt to see an opening in his attack. She quickly dodged to his left side as he was aiming for her head. She lunched her attack at him. He quickly shifted to face Hinata and did a low kick. He touched her and she began to fell but Hinata quickly regained her balance and instead did a back flip.

They stared at each other, both in gatotsu stances. Hinata ran toward Hiashi and leaped in the air to do a power strike. As she dove to bring her sword upon Hiashi, he blocked her and kick her in the guts, effectively pushing her away. She quickly regained her composure and lunched another attack on her father. He blocked all of her attempt. She began to quickly run around him and jumped in the air to do another power strike attempt. He again blocked her but the strenght of the attack made him flinch and he had to dodge to the side.

Neji was amazed at the skill of his cousin. Never had he thought Hinata-sama could be this skilled with a sword. He made a mental note to never go against her with sword, that for sure.

Hiashi resheathed his sword and bowed his head slightly to Hinata. She did the same.

"You're getting strong Hinata. That's good. Never thought you could be that good with a sword." Hiashi said proud. Rarely he've been so proud of his first daughter like he was today. He always thought of her as a defect. Now, he was begining to see that he had been wrong.

"Thanks father." Hinata said, happy to be congratulated by her father.

"By the way, since when do you have have a sword Hinata?" He asked her.

**'That true. Since when?' **Neji thought.

"Well... you see." She said nervously.

What can I say? If told them it's Kusakabe-sempai, they will want to know who he's he. Then I will have to tell them about my newfound Immortality, and Kusakabe-sempai told to hide it whenever possible. Yeah! I know what I'm going to say.

"I found an interest in kenjutsu recently. I wanted to have my own sword so I bought one." She said.

"I see. And where did you learn to fight like that?" Hiashi asked his daughter.

"That I don't know. Today was the first time I fought someone." Hinata said.

It's true. I didn't know I was that good with a sword.

"Look like everybody's good in something." Her father said. "We had a good sparring. I look foward to do it again Hinata." He added as he left.

Neji also congratulated her and followed Hiashi. Just then, she felt something in her head, like a buzz or something. She walked to the estate entrance. Ryuji was there. He waved his hand at her.

"So kid, how is it?" He asked with a smile.

"Could...could you call me Hinata and not kid. Please?" She asked shyly.

"Sure ki... I mean Hinata." He said. "Sorry 'bout that. It's just that I'm so used to Immortals younger than me. Care to come for a walk?" Ryuji added.

"Sure."

He brought her outside Konoha and sat against a tree. After a moment of silence Hinata asked.

"Where do you come from Kusakabe-sempai?"

"Somewhere. Why do you ask?"

"Just curious. Don't you remember where you come from?" Hinata asked.

"To tell you the truth... No, I don't really remember. It been thousands of years ago. I sometimes try to remember but that's not easy."

"I understand. Sorry for asking."

"Don't worry about it. When you have questions it's better to ask them. I'll tell you what I can. I do remember that there was no established civilizations. I can't put a date on it though. Most people were living nomadic life. I'm not sure, but I think the first time I died was in a sandstorm. When I woke up I saw that all my family as well as my clan had died in it. I continued wandering around the world, fighting peoples who thought I was a demon until I encountered another Immortal." He told her.

"So what happened? Did you fight each other?"

"No. Hopefully for me he was willing to help me. So I begun to learn about the Game and the Rules, just like you are now. After a century or two, I don't remember, we parted ways. I never saw him again. He was probably killed. But his help permitted me to live until this day."

"Is that why you're helping me Kusakabe-sempai?"

"Yes. I find it's my duty to help other newborn Immortals. I hope you'll be able to live as many centuries as you want."

"Arigatou."

"So now let's focuse on your training." He said as he drawed his own sword, a katana slightly longer than Hinata's from under his cloak and put himself in a simple stance.

"Draw your sword. Then attack me when you're ready."

Hinata did so. She ran to him in a attempt to slash at his torso but was blocked. Ryuji spun around and putted his sword at her neck in a moment notice.

"Do not charge blindly at your adversary or you'll lose your head Hinata. Would have been there to get your head, you would be dead by now. Your goal is to behead the other Immortal not to die. There's a lot of Immortals with centuries of sword training out there, it's not like fighting any ordinary ennemy." He told her. He lowered his sword and returned to his stance.

"Attack me again."

This time she tried to lure him in a fake frontal attack and then dodged to his left side. She slashed her sword for his neck but he quickly blocked her and then kicked her feets.

She back flipped and leaped into a power strike. He sidestepped to avoid her attack. Hinata's blade strucked the ground. She quickly turned toward Ryuji, keeping the blade in the ground as she did so. It sended rock flying around, blocking his field of vision. As she brought the sword from below he backed flipped a couple of feet away.

He ran at her and their sword blocked each other in an amazing show of light. They continued to parry each and every attack they tried until Hinata maked him triped and lunged at him. She would have struck his neck if he had not kick her in the guts.

He shot back up on his feets and slash her on her right shoulder. She screamed but still counter attacked with all her strength. She unleashed a flurry of slashed on him. He avoided them all but one. Hinata's blade had struck him on his left leg.

He punched her with the hilt of his sabre and before she had regain all her senses, he pierced through her abdomen with his blade. She fell to the floor as soon as he removed the blade. He sat beside her and waited for Hinata to come back into the world of the living.

She opened her eyes and sat on her butt.

"What just happened?" She asked.

"You died. Only a temporary death mind you. Don't have to worry about it, but don't drop dead when there's another Immortal around or there are chances that your gonna wake up in Heaven. Try to avoid that in a fight." He said as a matter of fact.

Hinata looked at her wounds amazed. She then remembered what Ryuji had showed earlier. When his palm had healed immediatly after being cut. Her shoulder and abdomen did the same. It wasn't even hurting.

"Is that the power of healing you talked to me earlier?"

"Yes. It will heal no matter what. Except wounds to the head. Those will stay permanently, so be careful about those." Ryuji said. "Okay, enough with the sword training. We'll try again later. I have other things I need to show you. Follow me." He said as he resheathed back his katana and hid it back under his trenchcoat.

She followed him to the nearest lake. There was a small dinghy. He motioned her to climb aboard with him. They rowed to the middle of the lake.

"Leave me your sword."

Hinata gave him her sword and he put his sword and hers on the side. He took off his trench coat and then unexpectadly pushed Hinata in the water. She yelped in surprise. He quickly followed her and dived in the water.

"What you do that for?" She asked angry.

He didn't respond. Ryuji dived under water. Suddenly Hinata felled herself being pulled under water. She was afraid since she didn't had the time take a good breath. He was bringing her into the depth of the lake.

**'What's happening? Why am I not drowning?'** She thought. She opened her mouth but she still didn't drowned. She felt like she could breath just like any fish would. She simply couldn't drown anymore. They swimmed back to the dinghy.

"I'm soaking wet now." She unhappily said.

"Don't worry about it. Even if you get the flu it's not gonna kill you. It's only gonna be pain in the ass, I can tell you that much."

As they got to the shore she saw Naruto running toward them.

"The guards told me I would find you nearby! Come with me Hinata! You remember that tonight is Ino's birthday party, right!?" Naruto said enthousiatically. He then began to run back to the village.

"Na...naruto-kun. Matte nasai!" She said as she began to run after Naruto.

"Kids will be kids. Anyway." Ryuji then proceeded to go back home.

-*-

That night at the party. Everyone was there. Shikamaru, Sakura and Naruto were with Ino while the others were on the other side of the room, well, except for Tenten and Neji who were cuddling on the sofa since they became a couple and Hinata who was currently reflecting about what Ryuji had told her earlier that day.

**'I wonder what it would be like to meet another Immortal. Would I have to fight? Look so from what ****Kusakabe****-sempai told me.'** She thought. She looked at a knife on the table.

She took it and slowly cut through her palm. It was healing as soon as it was cut. It still amazed her to see how quickly it could heal.

**'But I have to be careful about those on the head.'**

As she setted down the knife back on the table she felt the same buzz she felt with Ryuji. She got up and walk toward the door. Naruto stopped her.

"Where are you going Hinata?"

"I'll go outside for a bit. I'll come back soon." She responded with a warm smile.

Naruto smiled back and nodded. He walked back to his other friends.

"Where's she going?" Sakura asked.

"Outside. She said she'll come back soon."

-*-

Outside. She checked the surrounding. Nothing. She walked further away from the Yamanaka's home.

"Kusakabe-sempai? Is that you?" She called out.

She felt someone behind her.

"Kusakabe-sempai?" She said as she turned to see who it was.

"No. It isn't." He coldly said as he drawed his sword.

"Who are you?" Hinata asked as she also drawed her sword.

"No matter since your gonna die!" He screamed as he lunged to her.

She parred him and immediately kick him in the face with her elbow. He slitly back away, only to come back forth to her. She quickly leaped in the air to land behind him. As she brought her sword down on him he viciously kick her hard in her guts.

She flyed in the nearby wall. Quick on her feets. She lunch another attack on the man. She unleashed a flurry of slashes at him. She's been able to hit him on his right arm and torso. He backed at this but was quick to come back. She could see that his wounds had already healed.

She diverted the fatal hit to her shoulder. His blade had pierced through. She screamed in pain. She kicked punched him enough to send him flying on his back. As he flew to the ground he pulled the blade out of her shoulder. She quickly attacked him before he had the chance to get back to his feets. Her blade pierced through his heart, killing him temporarily. She pulled her blade and in a swift movement chopped his head off his body.

As she felt her victory, something strange happened. Clouds began to appear, announcing a violent storm. Thunder rolled forth from the sky hitting her full force. She screamed in pain as streaks of lighting striked her. Even though the pain was horrible, she felt the power, as if she was gaining the power of the Immortal she had just killed.

As the storm ended she fell on her knees. She was panting heavily. She looked around and saw the devastation the storm caused. Street lights, windows ect were blown out. She got up and walked back at the party. When she got inside Naruto nearly jumped on her, making her blush.

"Hinata did you see that storm!" He nearly screamed.

"Sure you dumbass she saw it. She was outside remember." Sakura said as she hitted the back of his head.

"Ow! Why ya did that for Sakura!" He screamed as he took his head in his hands.

"You're clueless as always Naruto." Sakura said as she crossed her arms.

Ino approached.

"Look like the lightning striked near here. Are you okay Hinata?" Ino asked. Everybody nodded. "And why's your sleeve teared up on your shoulder?" She added.

Hinata looked at her shoulder. She remembered when he pierced it. She putted her right hand on it.

"It's nothing. I must have scratch it somewhere." She said shyly.

Ino nodded but Sakura wasn't convinced. There were a little blood on the cloth. She didn't pushed any further with her questions though. She saw the look Neji was giving her, like he knew something. Most of 'em got back to their activities, well except for Sakura and Neji.

They settled in a corner where nobody would hear them.

"I'm not conviced at all by what Hinata had told us. I think she's trying to hide something from us." The bubble gum haired kunoichi said.

"I think so. When the storm began I used my byakugan to check if Hinata-sama was alright. But what I saw was most disturbing." Neji said with his stern face.

"What did you see Neji?"

"Hinata-sama being strucked by lightning. And most disturbingly, this lightning was coming from the body of a headless man beside Hinata-sama."

"What the... What on earth is happening? There's gonna be tough questions to be asked." Sakura said as she punched her hand.

"Do not Sakura-san. I will ask her since we're in the same family. I'll do that when we'll go back to the estate." Neji said as he put his hand on Sakura's shoulder.

"Do that Neji. We'll continue to talk about that later. I don't want them to get suspicious or anything. Go back to Tenten like nothing happened." Sakura said. They then parted ways to their respective groups.

-*-

After the party. Hinata and Neji were walking back to the Hyuuga Estate. The two weren't saying anything until Neji spoke.

"I had a question for you Hinata-sama?"

"What is it cousin Neji?" She asked with her usual coyness.

"About the storm earlier... What were you doing?" Neji asked Hinata.

She blushed of nervosity.

**'What should I say?'**

"I wasn't doing anything. I just tried to find shelter to wait for it to end. Why cousin Neji?" She said nervously.

Neji seeing that she would not say anything from her own free will decided to push the pressure a little bit more.

"We both know it's a lie Hinata-sama."

"Wh...y why do you say that cousin Neji?" She said more and more nervous.

"Because I saw you with my byakugan. You were clearly striked by lightning emmanating from the headless corpse that was beside you." Neji said, looking straight into her eyes. He could read the fear in them.

She lowered her head, ashamed of having being discovered so easily.

"If...if I tell you...cousin Neji...please don't tell it to anybody else. Onegai." She said as she bowed to him.

"Hinata-sama. I'll see what I can do but I can't garantee you anything. Sakura what to know too." He said.

"Don't tell her. I... I... I will tell her if need be."

"Then what is it?" Neji asked.

"Well... I'm... an Immortal." She told him, looking at the ground.

"I'm not a fool Hinata-sama, tell me the truth." Neji said imperturble.

"It's the thruth cousin Neji! Believe me!" She exclaimed.

"Hinata-sama..."

"I'll prove it to you then!" She said as she drawed her sword.

Before Neji could stop her she had already made seppuku. She fell lifeless on the floor. Neji was under shock, until he realized just what his cousin did.

"HINATA-SAMA!!" He rushed on his knees and took her in his arms. He took her pulse. There was nothing. And then something unexpected from Neji Hyuuga happened. He began to cry, at the thought of having lost his cousin.

He continued to cry until she moved in his arms. Slowly her eyes opened. She brought her hand and wiped the tears from his face.

"It so unlike you to cry cousin Neji. I'm sorry." She told him with a reasuring smile.

Neji couldn't believe his eyes. She was dead a moment ago and now was fully alive. She slowly pull out her sword out of her body. She let out a grunt as she did so.

"Hinata-sama, are you okay?"

"Yes, I'm perfectly fine, look for yourself." She said, motioning him to look were her wound was supposed to be on her belly.

It was healing quickly. Neji was amazed as he saw her tissues reforming themselves. So she was really an Immortal. Having regain most of his composure he asked her.

"But why must it remain a secret?"

"We'll talk about that back home cousin Neji. When there, just come with me in my room, I'll explain everything. I promise." As she said so they walked back to the Hyuuga Estate.

-*-

Later that night at the Hyuuga Estate. As promised she explained everything. He was still shaken a little but he was okay.

"So that's why." Neji said.

"Yes. There may be more to it but I don't know them yet." Hinata said. "But you must not tell this to anyone else cousin Neji. It enough that I had to tell you about it." She added.

"Alright. I won't tell anybody. But you take care of Sakura." He said.

"Alright. If it must. Thanks to have been understanding cousin Neji."

"It's nothing Hinata-sama. It's still feeling strange though. Thinking that you're an Immortal. You'll be careful." He said as he began to leave her room.

She said nothing. She layed on her back, looking at her bedroom ceiling. After a moment she got back up and undressed herself ready for her shower. She got to bed after.

**'It's too late to go see Sakura-chan anyway'**

She quickly fell asleep.

-*-

Sakura also understood without problems and also, like Neji promised to tell nothing of this to anybody else. She was also more easily convinced than her cousin.

"How does it feel to be an Immortal Hinata?" The pink haired girl asked.

"Nothing special, really."

She sigh. She had hoped for a response more... interesting. Well, if Hinata said so... that must be the truth then.

"Well. I'll have to leave now Sakura-chan. I have to go train with my sempai." She said as she left Sakura's home.

"See ya Hinata!"

She felt the buzz. She looked around. She saw him coming to her.

"Hi there Hinata." Ryuji said.

"Hi Kusakabe-smepai." She bowed to him.

"How was it?"

"Was what sempai?"

"Your first kill of course!" He exclaimed with a smile.

"How do you know? You weren't there."

"No need. You would have felt it too if it had been me who killed him. So, you didn't respond to my question. How was it?"

"It felt strange. Like jolts of lightning striking me. Then I felt some kind of power invade me." Hinata explained.

"Yes. That's called a quickening. That's the essence of life of the other Immortals. Every Immortal has one. It's contain one self knowledge and abilities. What you felt was the power of the other Immortal filling you up, making itself yours. The more powerful the immortal, the more powerful the quickening is. But only Immortals can collect a quickening. If a mortal would happen to behead you Hinata, and that there would be no Immortal present, then your quickening would dissipates itself in the sky and would go to the Source." He explained to her.

"Th... the Source? What is it sempai?"

"Well...I don't really know myself. The Source is... kinda like... the Source I guess." He said laughing a little.

"I see. Will we know what it is some day?"

"Maybe."

They began to walk. Today was a sunny day.

"Sem...sempai?" Hinata said shyly

"Yes Hinata-chan?" Ryuji said looking at her with a smile.

She blushed even more.

"It..it may seem a... a little indiscreet but... how many Immortals did you killed?" She asked while fidgeting with her fingers.

"Don't remember. It's not really important. Why?"

"That's true. Sorry."

"Don't worry about it. When you'll be as old as me you won't care either."

They maked their way to a clear spot in the forest and began their training.

-*-

It continued like that for several month. She would train in the 'arts' of keeping her head and would take on missions. She had been an incredible student. She had learned most of the seven swordmanship forms. She was especialy skilled in the sixth form: Niman or the the Way of Moderation.

Hinata was in her room, reading a book when she heard thunder claps. She began to worry. Tonight was a clear night, there hadn't been a single cloud in the sky. Then she felt someone die as bolts of lightning striked in East Konoha.

She took her sword and ran outside the estate as fast as she could.

-*-

Everything was exploding. The quickening was so strong that the entire village was felt it.

**'The more powerful the immortal, the more powerful the quickening is.' **Ryuji had told her.

She ran as quick as she could. She soon was at the scene. At her horrors, Ryuji was laying headless on the ground. She raised her head and froze when she saw her sempai killer. Hidan, the last of the Akatsuki. He looked at her in delight.

TO BE CONTINUED  
Next Chapter: The Last of the Akatsuki


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